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“Nope.”
“No?” he asked, looking back at her in curiosity.
She shook her head and grinned at him. “No. I grew them all from cuttings I’ve taken from other rosebushes in the area.”
“You propagated these yourself? How long have you lived here?”
“Yes, it’s my hobby. I’ve been here about six years,” she murmured as she stroked a Maggie rose bloom. “When I was in high school, I grew several rosebushes as cuttings for a science fair project. Mom introduced me to a lady she knew who was a Texas Rosarian and I learned a lot from her. Once the project was done, my mom and I planted those bushes in the backyard and they took off. It’s been a hobby of mine ever since. When I moved in here, the yard was nothing but carpet grass with weeds mixed in. I did all of this myself.”
“Damn, baby. This is amazing,” he whispered, not wanting to draw the attention of her neighbors.
“Thank you. Do you know antique roses?”
Spencer smiled and nodded as he walked over to look at a bush filled with blooms with dark pink and peach colored outer petals and yellow inner petals and turned back to her. “Rosette Delizy?”
The transformation in her beaming face stunned him. She slid her arm around his waist as she joined him. “Yes, this Rosette Delizy is special because the cuttings were given to me by that same Rosarian who taught me so much.” She shaded her eyes, looked up at him, and said, “You really took me by surprise, Spencer. Who taught you about roses?”
“Our last foster mother. She had a seriously green thumb.”
She nodded. “I want to hear all about her someday.”
He took one last look around, still surprised, and then followed her back through the house. “I need to stop at the grocery store. Cody has the grill heating up and wanted me to get some steaks. Do you mind?”
“Not at all. I’m ready when you are.”
Inside the house, he stopped her, slid his hands around her hips, and said, “I’ll be ready after I get a kiss from you.”
She giggled as she looked up at him. “I wanted to jump you in the backyard but Mrs. Simms was watching us from her back window.”
He laid his lips on hers, enjoying the enthusiasm she put into their kiss. She stroked his tongue with hers and wrapped her arms around his neck so he could lift her off her feet. She smelled like sunshine and flowers, all mixed together with just a hint of earthy, womanly musk that made him want to beat his chest and growl like a caveman.
Her lips were a little swollen and rosy when he pulled back and set her on her feet. “Did you sleep this morning? Were you sore today?”
She caressed the back of his head with her fingertips and said, “I slept for a few hours before I went to the rose garden. I feel fine but I am a little sore. It’s not bad. That was just more activity than I’m used to. Did the three of you talk?”
“We did. We’re letting you rest tonight and we’ll have you home at a decent hour this evening.”
Her pouty little lip and frown made him want to laugh. “But I wanted to play tonight.”
Spencer chuckled as he nibbled at her pouty lip. “I never said we weren’t playing.”
“Oh, good. And my neighbor would probably approve if you had me home at a decent hour.”
“That’s one of the issues we talked about. We’ll explain at home.”
She locked up the house and followed him outside with a small tote bag slung over her shoulder. She waved at her neighbor who smiled and waved back at her. Spencer opened her door for her and helped her in and noticed the neighbor smiled when she saw him do that.
Score one point for the bears!
At the grocery store, he parked close to the entrance and said, “I’ll be right back.”
She pulled her wallet from her tote bag and said, “I need to get some things as well. I want to make a dessert for the three of you.”
He hesitated for a second. “Could I just get the stuff you need?”
Maizy looked at him and gave him a knowing smile. “Cody?”
“Yes. He wants to wait until after we’ve all talked.”
“It’s okay. We’re just running into the store for a minute on a Sunday evening. The place looks half-deserted anyway. You get what you need, I’ll get what I need, and we’ll meet back here. How’s that?”
